My alarm sounded at 6:09 Monday morning to “Heavy Things” by the iconic American rock band Phish, a wake-up alarm that turned out to be prescient. As I rolled over and picked up my phone, the texts, Google alerts and CNN notifications were all painting a grim picture of a horrific night in Las Vegas, one that left at least 59 dead and more than 500 injured. I felt that sick feeling in my stomach you get when something terrible happens to someone you really care about.
As I tried to process this gruesome tragedy, I was grateful to be listening to music that brings me back to a place where I was surrounded by love and community. Because, for me, the band’s music is like family; it can’t provide physical hugs, but the music and fellow “Phans” can offer relief when things go really bad in life.
This same sense of family that had enveloped singer Jason Aldean’s fans became clear in the videos shot during and after the mass killing. Along with the courageous first responders running to aid the wounded, there were strangers helping strangers, fans carrying fellow fans to safety and vendors using equipment to shield the wounded.
Those who survived the attack shared their gratitude with other survivors, much as if they were real family and had known one another for a lifetime. We saw this same human behavior after the horrific events of 9/11, the Newtown, Connecticut, school shootings and after the Boston Marathon bombing, and I believe we will continue to see the good in people come out when tragedy strikes. People inherently want to help.
Music, for so many, is comfort food for the emotions. It can foster a sense of community among devoted fans. To an artist’s family of fans, it’s often as much about the connection with other fans who have traveled far and wide to attend the concert as it is about the music. You’re in it together to bask in the sounds you love.
Every night of the week, 365 days a year, fans from all walks of life gather in venues around the world to share this common bond: listening to musicians and artists who make them tick. All popular bands, large and small, trigger a version of the love and dedication displayed by the Grateful Dead’s “Deadheads” or Lady Gaga’s “Little Monsters.” It’s surely no different with the fans and tour family of Jason Aldean.
And it’s not just the concertgoers who feel a sense of family. The venue leadership, musicians, tour managers, promoters, production crew, photographers and even tour bus drivers all develop lasting relationships on the road as they wrestle with being away from their real families, only to wake up in a new city every morning.
No matter how many madmen appear, family and community will prevail and the music will never stop. Unfortunately, though, the Las Vegas tragedy does change the immediate calculus of music fans heading to venues with expectations of joy, community, safety and nonviolence.
At least in the short term, wariness and caution will prevail. Parents will be less likely to allow their kids to attend big concerts. These outcomes are sad but inevitable. It’s human nature. I am optimistic, though, that we will adapt and become stronger, as we always do.
Think of the adaptations to which we’ve grown accustomed since 9/11. Concertgoers, just like air travelers, have had to endure preventive guidelines, including metal detectors, bag searches, entrance protocols and a variety of new rules. Now there will likely be additional measures to ensure public safety. Sure, the line might be five minutes longer, but the reality is that all of these “inconveniences” make perfect sense to prevent future tragedies.
But fortunately for us, there are thousands of disaster and emergency planners behind the scenes who will find solutions that work. They get up every morning with the mission to keep us safe, and mitigate issues before we even hear about them or see them on the news. And after every tragedy, large or small, officials at the federal, state, local and regional levels convene to assess the situation and discuss lessons learned and, more importantly, what would we do here if …?
We are fortunate in Portland to have a dedicated, experienced network of smart, collaborative and proactive law enforcement professionals, from the federal level on down. They are the best in the business, and have dedicated their careers to us – the average citizen. Maine also has a robust state intelligence network that constantly prepares for all types of horrific scenarios, and collaborates to share information with and train law enforcement and institutional, corporate, local and community organizations on a routine basis. We are extremely fortunate to have them on our side.
And remember, we are not immune simply because we are in Maine. If you see something, say something. Be kind. Hug your loved ones. We are all in this together.
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